It is known that silicon compounds containing at least two silicon atoms, halogen atoms and optionally carbon and hydrogen atoms as the only atoms in the molecule can be methylated using the Grignard process, i.e., by incorporating methyl groups into such silicon compound, in order to increase the proportion of methyl groups. This process is described by Makoto Kumada et al in the Journal of Organic Chemistry, Vol. 21 (1956), pages 1264 to 1268.
In contrast to the Grignard process for methylating silicon compounds, the proces of the present invention employs a compound as the source for the methyl groups which is readily available and is easier to handle than the Grignard compounds. In addition, the process of the present invention avoids the formation of inorganic salts which are associated with the Grignard-type process.
A process similar to the present process for methylating organochlorosilanes containing only one silicon atom per molecule is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,010 to Graf et al.
It is known that the redistribution of SiC-bonded methyl groups does not affect silicon atoms which are linked together by at least one methylene group; however, the .tbd.SiSi.tbd. linkage is much more sensitive than the .tbd.SiC linkage. Therefore, it is surprising that the redistribution of SiC-bonded methyl groups does not substantially affect the .tbd.Si Si.tbd. linkage. (B. W. Noll, "Chemie und Technologie der Silicone":, 2nd edition, pages 300 to 301). Consequently, the methylation of silicon compounds containing at least two silicon atoms, halogen atoms and optionally carbon and hydrogen atoms as the only atoms in the molecule was not an obvious development in view of the art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide methylated silicon compounds. Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for methylating silicon compounds. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a process for methylating silicon compounds having at least two silicon atoms, halogen atoms and optionally carbon and hydrogen atoms as the only atoms in the molecule. A further object of the present invention is to provide a process for methylating silicon compounds in which the compound containing the methyl groups for methylating the silicon compounds is readily available.